A mechanical hitch at Sydney Airport left about 100 Qantas domestic passengers without their luggage when they arrived at their destinations – and in another case, a Qantas international passenger says she had to wear the same clothes for five days until Qantas found her bag.

Perth publication WA Today reported the airline had apologised over the former problem, blaming it on an issue with the baggage belt at Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal.

University of Western Australia Professor Peter van Onselen was frustrated to find his luggage had not joined him on his flight from Sydney to Perth.

“How is this for INSANE INCOMPETENCE by @qantas,” he fumed on Twitter.

“Our flight to Perth it was just announced took off with NOBODYS bags. Absolutely unbelievable.”

Professor’s initial indignant tweet

Later, however, the professor lightened up.

“Actually I have to admit @Qantas has handled this debacle pretty well,” he tweeted. “Bags due shortly and I’ll make my lectures, just!”

Another passenger, however, was less happy. Janette Viljoen‎ took to Facebook to vent her frustration with Qantas – complaining about a very-slow-to-arrive bag, but this time on an international flight.

Viljoen‎ flew from South Africa a week ago and took a connecting flight to New Zealand from Sydney Airport.

When she reached Auckland, her bags didn’t.

“No bags arrived and I had to stand in a row at Menzies Bag service desk for another 2 hours, after 17 hours flight , to report my missing bag. The people I asked to fetch me at the airport had to wait from 24.30 to 03.00 for me to report missing bags. Major inconvenience to people that was prepared to fetch me at the airport!!”

Viljoen‎’s bag didn’t show up the following day, either, or the day after that. When she phoned to inquire she “only got a voice recording stating due to high call volumes nobody can assist me”.

Several drives to the airport followed as the days ticked by.

Viljoen‎’s verdict: “I am a single person that saved up for a year to have a 2 weeks holiday in New Zealand and paid and trusted Qantas Airlines to deliver myself and my baggage safely to my destination. Half my holiday I had to wash and wear the same clothes for 5 days and despite the 2 x 66 NZ dollar compensation (could buy a bare minimum with it) had to go without my chronic medication as well as the rest and peace I paid for during my holiday.

“I cannot understand how a big international airline find it acceptable to fly their passengers to another country without their bags and find it acceptable for that person to be without their personal belongings, clothes, and medicines for 5 days?

“I post this message on Facebook because it is IMPOSSIBLE to find an Customer Service email address for Qantas. Using your online customer service options delivers zero results.”